In pursuance with the court’s order, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board submitted a report with suggestions to improve the water quality in the two wetlands.
CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday directed the State government to formulate a policy for activities of traditional non-fishermen in Chilika lake within two months.A division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Chittaranjan Dash asked the State Revenue department to undertake the exercise in consultation with Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and stakeholders concerned.
Earlier on April 4, the court had directed the CDA to examine the entire issue and submit within three months its recommendations to the State government to consider whether any such policy needed to be reformulated. However, when no response was received from CDA as on date, the court modified its earlier order.
As the ultimate object is to have a policy formulated, the Revenue department should undertake the process consistent with the judgments of the Supreme Court and the prevailing legal regime, the bench directed.
As part of adjudication of a PIL for restoration of the ecology of the two wetlands – Chilika Lake and Bhitarkanika – the court was taking stock of the progress of removal of illegal prawn gheris from the waterbodies on Thursday. In pursuance with the court’s order, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board submitted a report with suggestions to improve the water quality in the two wetlands.
Taking note of it, the bench directed the State government to examine the suggestions and ensure they are implemented in letter and spirit. The bench also directed amicus curiae Mohit Agarwal to further study the affidavit and suggest if any further direction in this regard is required.
Collector of Puri had filed an affidavit stating that 13 FIRs had been registered and several illegal net gheris dismantled in Chilika area at Patanasi under Krushna Prasad block. The revenue inspector and assistant revenue inspector were placed under suspension on August 17 and the tehsildar transferred in connection with re-emergence of net gheris in the area. The court had suo motu registered a PIL for restoration of the ecology of the two wetlands in 2017.
